Scattering theory of chiral Majorana fermion interferometry

TL;DR

This paper develops a scattering theory framework for chiral Majorana fermion interferometers, revealing how Majorana modes influence charge transport and noise, with potential applications in detecting Majorana bound states.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach expressing lead states in terms of Majorana modes, simplifying analysis of interferometry and noise signatures in Majorana systems.

Findings

Charge current expressed via Majorana interference

Resonances affect conductance peaks and dips

Negative and positive cross-correlations from Majorana exchange

Abstract

Using scattering theory, we investigate interferometers composed of chiral Majorana fermion modes coupled to normal metal leads. We advance an approach in which also the basis states in the normal leads are written in terms of Majorana modes. Thus each pair of electron-hole states is associated with a pair of Majorana modes. Only one lead Majorana mode couples to the intrinsic Majorana mode whereas its partner is completely reflected. Similarly the remaining Majorana modes are completely reflected but in general mix pair-wise. We demonstrate that the charge current can also be expressed in terms of interference between pairs of Majorana modes. These two basic facts permit a treatment and understanding of current and noise signatures of chiral Majorana fermion interferometry in an especially elegant way. As a particular example of applications, in Fabry-Perot-type interferometers where chiral Majorana modes form loops, resonances (anti-resonances) from such loops always lead to peaked (suppressed) Andreev differential conductances, and negative (positive) cross-correlations that originate purely from two-Majorana-fermion exchange. These investigations are intimately related to current and noise signatures of Majorana bound states.